Produced: ca. 16 September to ca. 1 October 1965
UK Premiere (London, Season 4): 14 January 1966
US Premiere (New York, Season 1): 4 April 1966

Is a voodoo curse
responsible for putting a British farmer in a coma? This puzzle leads Steed to the
headquarters of Colonel Rawlings, an ex-serviceman spending his
waning years in the Kalayan jungle. Unbeknownst to the Colonel, however, the
"jungle" is an artificial habitat located right outside London, and
is being used by a diabolical mastermind to develop a deadly strain of tsetse
fly that will be unleashed on the citizens of Kalaya in response to the eviction of British
rubber plantation owners. Got that?

IMHO

Would have scored much better if not for a rather incoherent plot, not to mention
jungle drums that tend to get on the nerves after a while. And for whatever reason,
I simply do not like Liam Redmond (Professor Swain). On the positive side, Bill Fraser
delivers a four-bowler performance as the crackpot Colonel, whose situation
of believing he is still in the jungles of Kalaya is an enjoyable twist.

Trivia

Bill McCutcheon notes that when Steed interrupts
the tribesman attempting to steal the Rawlings file from the Bentley, one of the folders
was marked "PZEV." (Makes a connection with "Two's a
Crowd," although the name is actually spelled PSEV.)

It is worth pointing out that this episode is a notable
exception to one of the more controversial "rules"
of the show regarding race. Two other exceptions are "Honey
for the Prince" and "The £50,000 Breakfast," although
the blacks in these are simply background characters. In this episode, it is a significant
speaking role—Razafi, played by Paul Danquah.

On Location

Starracres, Radlett, was used for Gibson's house.

Best Scene

After the tussle over a file folder in his car, ever-cool Steed is relieved
to discover the "native" has left his cucumber sandwiches intact.

Best Line

As all hell breaks loose in the "jungle," Colonel Rawlings muses, "By Jove,
the natives are restless tonight." A corny
line to be sure, but not when it is delivered by Bill Fraser!